Outreach Committee Update

The new year is in full-swing, and the Nativity Outreach Committee wanted to share a quick rundown of where we as a church family finished our outreach program in 2018 and where we are headed in 2019. After speaking with community leaders across Leflore County and after many discussions within the six-member Nativity Outreach Committee, it was decided that our outreach focus for 2018 and 2019 would be on ministries to school-aged children. With that in mind here is where our outreach monies were spent:

• In November, the Outreach Committee teamed up with the Episcopal Church Women to fund catfish dinners for close to 600 families through the Community Food Pantry at a total cost of $2000.

• In December, after a request was made by Delta Streets, Nativity contributed $1200 towards Literature books that were needed for the high school English classes. These books were purchased from Turnrow.

• In January 2019, we received a request from ArtPlace to partially fund the work of a FoodCorps member, Rachael Harvey, as she works with students at Threadgill Primary. Rachael teaches classes, develops school gardens and helps students explore healthy eating. Our contribution to this ministry is $1875.

In the future, we will be discerning new areas where we can be helpful, not only financially, but as bodies of Christ in our community, with an ongoing focus on ministries to school-aged children. Our goal is to keep our congregation “in the know,” and also to present opportunities to volunteer. So stay tuned!

Fat Tuesday Pancake Supper

On Tuesday, March 5 at 5:30pm, we’ll finish off the celebratory season of Epiphany with a beloved Nativity tradition and one last party. We’ll have crafts for the kids, pancakes and sausage for all ages, and Carnival music on the speakers. As we begin to wind down, Peter will lead a short Mardi Gras parade into the church as we bury our Alleluias for the season of Lent. We’ll bring them back out at Easter!

Christmas Pageant Rehearsals and Performance

Nativity’s annual Christmas pageant is Sunday, December 9 at 5pm. As we approach the big day, all the components of this tradition are rapidly coming together with final rehearsals. Read on to see which part applies to you and your little ones:

EYC (6th-12th Grade): After our normal 5pm dinner, we will have a dress rehearsal at 5:30pm during our regular youth group time Sunday, December 2. Peter will be present this evening as we put the finishing touches on the program. Sunday, December 9, we will have another run-through at 3pm with an early dinner in between that practice and the performance itself.

Youth Choir (4K-5th Grade): Our young singers are sounding really great, and there are a lot of them this year! They will rehearse with David, Cyndi, and Beverly on December 2nd and 9th following the 10:30 service and lunch. On the evening of the pageant, youth choir should arrive by 4:30pm to get fitted for robes.

Littlest Angels (2-4 years): If your pre-schooler walker is ready to join the heavenly host, you can help them get comfortable with the role by participating in the dress rehearsal at 5:30pm on Sunday, December 2. Parents will help get the kids into costume and then help Julia Harris and Nancy Johnson usher them down the aisle when their cue comes.

Episcopal Church Women: As always, the ladies of Nativity will put on a reception following the performance. If you are bringing cookies or some other snack, please have them to the church by 4:30pm on the 9th.

Blessing of the Backpacks

Sunday, August 5 at 10:30am

As our young folks get ready to head back to school, we'll lift them up in prayer and bless backpacks new and old. Join us at the 10:30 service next week as we support these members of our Nativity family.  If you didn't get a Nativity name tag for your backpack last year, we've got more!

The Book of Esther at VBS

When's the last time you read the Book of Esther?

This short book of the Bible tells the story of a Jewish orphan who rises to become queen in the palace of a Persian king. Because of her strength and her character, she manages to save the Jewish people from danger while being faithful to the God she loves. The story has treachery, intrigue, celebration, heroes, and villains. In other words, it's perfect for Vacation Bible School!

June 19 through June 21, all hands will be on deck as we immerse ourselves in this piece of God's story. Beginning each night at 5:30 pm, we'll share a meal and then turn our attention to a carefully casted stage production. In the role of the conflicted King Ahasuerus: David Dallas. In the role of the crafty and deceitful Haman: shifty Steve Iwanski. In the role of Mordecai, Esther's faithful cousin and adoptive caregiver: the faithful Hal Fiore. And making her Nativity debut in the title role of Esther: our friend Elizabeth Hinckley. The action climaxes in a great banquet, and on our final night, you expect our actors to do a little dinner theater while we feast on better than average VBS fare.

Esther's story is the origin of our Jewish brothers' and sisters' holiday, Purim: a two-day celebration of God's care and protection for the Jewish people. With the help of Rachael Goldberg, we'll be incorporating a number of traditional Purim activities into our own exploration of Esther. We'll make Hamantaschen, a traditional stuffed cookie. For crafts, we'll make our own crowns and groggers, the traditional Purim noisemakers. Parents, you're welcome for that one. David Williamson has picked out some great Purim songs for us to learn from a 1960's-era Jewish youth hymnal. And for our Thursday evening feast, Billy Bowman is making brisket, a tradition of some Jewish families for Purim.

Put it all together, and we've got quite a special program being put together for kids entering 3K to 5th grade. Of course, we'll need all sorts of helper, but even if you're not going to help us corral kids and make crafts, you might consider stopping by anyway! I believe Nativity is at its best when folks of all ages gather to learn, play, eat, pray and sing together. And this year's Vacation Bible School offers us a chance to do all of that, all while getting to know the traditions of our Jewish neighbors a bit more. So, join us!

Peter+

Esther: Born for This!

You don’t want to miss this summer’s Vacation Bible School, which will be from 5:30-7:30 PM on June 19-21. We’ll tell the story of a powerful queen who saves her people from a sinister villain. We’ll feast to celebrate her victory. We’ll sing, and cheer, and play, and create. Designed for kids entering 3K-5th grade, it’s fun for all ages!

Nativity Easter Egg Hunt and Ice Cream Social

Saturday, March 30, our youth group will hide eggs all over Nativity for the benefit of our
pre-school and elementary aged children. And, because candy isn't enough sugar, we'll also
be feeding them ice cream! With toppings! But before we do all this, we'll need to recover our “Alleluia!” banner so that our celebration of the resurrection can begin! The fun begins at 3pm. EYC kids check with Steve on when to report to make preparations.

New Service Opportunity for 5th-8th Grade Youth

For the Spring of 2018, we are creating a new service opportunity for our 5th-8th grade youth on Sunday mornings at 9:30am. Instead of Sunday School, these members of our church will be invited to assist with our youngest Godly Play classroom. As our 3k-5k Godly Play teachers can attest, we have lots of energy to manage in that room! Before assisting, youth will be invited to attend a brief training with our Godly Play teachers so that they can understand the particular format of the program and how they can be helpful. After attending the training, these youth will be scheduled as helpers just as adult teachers are. Our hope is that their participation will continue to nurture a spirit of service in our youth while also exposing them to the rich biblical teaching of Godly Play.

What is Godly Play?

Godly Play is a way of religious education. The goal of Godly Play is to teach children the art of using the language of the Christian tradition to encounter God and find direction for their lives. There are six objectives that help meet this goal.

1. To model how to wonder in religious education, so children can “enter” religious language rather than merely repeating it or talking about it.
2. To show children how to create meaning with the language of the Christian tradition and how this can involve them in the experience of the Creator.
3. To show children how to choose their own work, so they can confront their own existential limits and depth issues rather than work on other kinds of problems dictated by others, including adults.
4. To organize the educational time to follow the pattern of worship that the Christian tradition has found to be the best way to be with God in community.
5. To show children how to work together as a community by supporting and respecting each other and one another’s quest.
6. To organize the educational space so that the whole system of Christian language is present in the room, so children can literally walk into that language domain when they enter the room and can begin to make connections among its various arts as they work with the lesson of the day and their responses in art or other lessons.

(Berryman, J., Teaching Godly Play, 1995).

KEY CONCEPTS OF GODLY PLAY:

• Godly Play grew out of Montessori roots and is based on the principles of Montessori education
• Children will be greeted at the door of the Godly Play room ready to enter the space and say goodbye to their caregiver
• “Work” in Godly Play is child-directed. Children will choose what they want to do, such as art activities (coloring, crafts), discovering Godly Play materials, cleaning the room (sweeping, dusting), etc.
• What children choose to say and do in the Godly Play classroom is sacred; therefore, the Godly Play leaders will not comment on what children said or chose to do each week. Caregivers should allow children to share what they choose to after a Godly Play session

GODLY PLAY AT NATIVITY:

• Children in 3k-5k and grades 1-5 are invited to participate in Godly Play each week
• Class will begin at 9:30 and end at approximately 11:00. *Please be mindful of the start time of 9:30, latecomers might potentially disrupt the Biblical story for the day
• Children should be brought to the door of the classroom where they will be greeted by a Godly Play leader
• There will be two Godly Play leaders present each week
• Children can be picked up at the door of the classroom at 11:00 or they will be escorted into the church to find their parents
• The focus of Godly Play is not on making products, so please do not expect paperwork or organized artwork to accompany your child
• A small snack is giving during the “feast,” but please keep in mind that this is not substantial. The feast typically consists of water and a few pretzels or crackers, the idea is to mimic Communion

We look forward to spending time with your child in the Godly Play environment while learning and growing together. If there are questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Lindsay Powers (lpowers106@gmail.com, 662-466-1114)